States and private insurers are adding Medicaid and employer plan benefits for doula support to lower cesarean rates and preterm births. Companies like Pomelo Care and Maven Clinic vet certified doulas and handle billing and claims so providers can focus on patients.

• 33 states plus DC now cover doula care under Medicaid or are rolling it out soon.
• UnitedHealthcare plans to give up to 7.2 million employer-plan members access to doula support by the end of 2027.
• Startups like Pomelo Care (valued at $1.7B, supporting ~350 doulas) and Maven Clinic now handle credentialing, insurance documentation, and claims for doulas, who previously worked solo on a cash basis.
• Doula care is linked to fewer C-sections and premature births, with especially strong benefits for Black mothers.

Pediatric mental health startups like Brightline and InStride Health have emerged to address the increased demand for mental health services among children during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. While some startups have struggled, these two companies have expanded their services and adapted to the needs of families, particularly through telehealth. Challenges remain, including funding cuts and clinician shortages, but awareness around youth mental health is growing.

• Brightline and InStride Health have expanded and adapted since launching during Covid, largely by leaning into telehealth for kids' mental health care.
• Not all pediatric mental health startups survived—some have struggled or failed even as these two grew.
• Funding cuts and clinician shortages remain major obstacles to scaling these services.
• Rising awareness of youth mental health needs is helping sustain demand and interest in these companies.